We left Clearwater yesterday, as planned, but before we left we woke up to an unpleasant surprise. Our battery had run down so much that the head - a toilet to you landlubber's - wouldn't flush. You see our toilets flush by means of electricity, 12v electricity that is produced by our batteries. Houston we have a problem! Actually we had observed that we were having to run the generator longer than usual to charge the batteries but were hoping to postpone any action for a month or so. However when things don't work properly we can't "defer" the item, we have to act. Thus our planned one night stop in Gulfport became a two night stop so that we could deal with replacing the batteries.
We belong to two boating organizations geared to cruising boaters and both of them provide a support system for cruising members. In Clearwater the AGLCA Harbor Host was kind enough to provide Larry with a ride to Depco Pump so that he could purchase some spares without the bother and expense of having them shipped. So when we arrived in Gulfport yesterday we looked in the MTOA Port Captain list and found that we were close to an old friend that we had traveled with on the Loop in 2008. We called Les Emery for guidance on a local supplier and he and Judy came in a flash; he located two batteries for us, hauled us a long way to pick them up and even helped Larry wrestle the new batteries aboard. Boaters are simply the best people you will ever meet.
So we had two surprises in one day, the pleasant connection with old friends, and one that was, well, somewhat of a pain and expensive!
By the time we were finished with all the battery commotion - and a bit of dinner with our friends - it was late and things still weren't reconnected so we decided to extend our stay by a day. Today Larry connected the batteries and we are good to go. We also walked a mile to the Laundromat to catch up on our pile of dirty clothes, now we are good to go for a while.
Providing the weather cooperates (read no fog and no thunderstorms) we will leave in the morning for Sarasota. See you there.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
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Hi Theresa and Larry, We have three grandkids age 6month 18 month and 3 years spending the night. after some minor prodding, I am now ready to insist that these kids learn to sleep in their own beds!!!! Their mother has some weird idea that they will grow up unloved. Ok, the rant is over.
I just read your last blog entry and I see you didn't mention LaBelle on your crossing. They have a stern tie free dock and the local mechanic offers another but maybe they were full. The neat thing about LaBelle is the restaurant about 1/4 mile south of the Caloosahatchee. I just looked at Active Captain and see that it isn't mentioned. I have not boated there but drove up with friends who had a trawler stored at Glades boat yard a few miles east, I think LaBelle is a more prosperous town than Moore Haven. The restaurant is called Wagon Wheel or something like that where all the locals eat. I wonder why no one commented on AC about the place. The anchorage is listed only as 100.5 with 2 comments but it needs correcting because there is shopping and a restaurant not to mention a good mechanic on the north bank just across from the dock.
I intend to be in Stuart on April 25 and will leave asap if the weather gods cooperate. My destination of Jekyll Island Marina where we will stay till December. Our winter cruise is still unplanned but it will certainly be someplace warm.
When are you planning to be in Annapolis? Barry the email bounced back
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